Cooling system opinions

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>After tuning up the cooling system, *then* you should take a serious look 
>at a
>big electric radiator fan... alone or with your stock fan.  You could add an
>electric fan to the front of the radiator as an assist to the rear fan,
>although an electric fan is more efficient at the rear.  If you want to avoid
>an electric fan, then a flexible blade fan is not a bad option *if* your
>engine rpms will be relatively low when your "crawling" in the desert.
>
>That's my $0.02 worth!
>
>Happy holidays,
>
>John

Well, I guess I can afford to give up $.02 also. I have a 3 layer 
radiator with new cores and a flex fan. Overheating is never a problem 
except when I am "crawling" at very slow speeds up a serious grade such 
as Jail Canyon in Death Valley. I believe, unlike John L., that the 
problem comes from not enough water being circulated by the water pump at 
these low rpms, rather than a lack of air through the radiator, although 
there is a lack of moving air at these rpms. As most of you know, there 
are replacement high-volume water pumps made for the GM V-8s and I 
believe that they have more vanes on the impeller. I've never put on an 
electric fan to know if it would help, but a buddy of mine after trying 
electric fans on his Land Cruiser with the 350 Chevy, went to the high 
volume water pump and finally got some relief for his heating up problem. 
Because our heating-up problems occurred on the same trails, I believe 
that my Scout also needs to be moving more water. 

I'm involved in this exchange of $.02 as an intellectual exercise, not 
because I have a solution to the persons overheating problem. I like the 
flex fan a lot, and think it is a much better solution than clutch fans, 
would advise the questioner to put one on his Scout, have his radiator 
cleaned and probably rodded out, but I believe that he will continue to 
have a problem at very low speeds. A partial solution to this, is after 
he has a good clean system, is to try to always be at low enough gearing 
(1st lo)  to be able to maintain a minimum of 1500 rpms. It's a 
trade-off, I like idling along up-hill over boulders and such, but idling 
doesn't maintain satisfactory engine temps. 

Sorry to be long winded, my $.02 turned into a $1.50 without my being 
aware it was happening. John

John Hofstetter
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Member, California Rifle and Pistol Association
Member, Sierra Macintosh Users Group  Member, MacTwain Macintosh Users 
Group
Charter Member, FRIENDS OF DEATH VALLEY   Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition
Life Member, Association of California School Administrators
Owner of 79 Scout Terra "It's a legend"